


I Want to Know You Love Me

by GoldenS0422



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Dating, F/M, Falling In Love, Gambling, Implied/Referenced Sex, Introversion, Making Out, Modern Era, Street Racing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:40:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25080268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenS0422/pseuds/GoldenS0422
Summary: Anakin Skywalker is a popular yet introverted boy in college. One day, downright luck leads him in the prime position to be in love with his long-time crush Padmé Amidala, but things aren't as easy as it seems.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> While this takes place in America and in college, I am neither an American nor am I someone in college, just a note in case the way college works in this AU is different from real life.

**_5:30 AM – August 21 st, Friday_ **

“Ah, great, another day at college,” Anakin got out of bed and let out a big sigh. Sure, he was in college and was doing very well academically, but socially? That’s another story.

Anakin was one of the more handsome students, attracting many girls. Hell, on his most handsome days, there might be a boy or two who’d be attracted to him as well. The problem was he was constantly bullied by people who were attracted to girls who were attracted to him, always getting told “she’s mine, idiot,” everyday. He genuinely looked tough and was tough, but he wasn’t one to physically fight others. He could if he wanted to, the problem was he didn’t. Anakin was also an introvert to a fair extent. Many girls were attracted to him, but he was too nervous to try and capitalize. Besides, his heart only belonged to one person: Padmé Amidala.

Padmé was one of the more popular girls, but she wasn’t the cliché female bully that you’d see in movies. She was pure-of-heart and seems like an angel from the outside, but on the inside, she’s much more interesting. Like Anakin, she was extremely attractive for many of the students. She was sort of an introvert, but she was nowhere near Anakin’s level. She could run conversations well but wasn’t really into starting ones that much. She had a large group of friends, however, unlike Anakin who had a small group.

Anakin often wore the most random clothes to college. It could range from oddly formal to making him look like a literal child. He didn’t really care. All he cared about was that he could finish the day. Padmé was more into wearing the more sophisticated clothes to give her a, well, sophisticated look. She was much more conscious of how she looked than Anakin was.

Both were on their Senior year. Anakin was going after Mechanical Engineering since he considered that the most “introvert-like” course for whatever reason and since it was his passion. Padmé went after a degree in Law though she considered Finance back then.

_Anyway…_

Anakin got out of bed and prepared for another lame day at college. It was the same boring times. He’d talk to someone important like a professor at least once, he’d take several walks across a busy hallway, girls typically staring at him, and a group of boys would confront him because he apparently “stole their girls,” he’d sit alone during break time. There was barely any memorable stuff that went on.

That was until break time came and he saw Padmé. He was already falling in love with her even though he hadn’t seen her much throughout the years, but this one was the nail in the coffin for him. Padmé was wearing one of her favorite outfits today. She wore a grey button-up cardigan with what appeared to be a dark purple shirt underneath along with a pair of jeans.

Padmé sat by the table in front of his table, which was extremely lonely. He got the perfect glimpse of her hair, which seemed to be hair buns of some kind. He also got a perfect glimpse of her body in all its glory. Along with that, he also got a glimpse of… her ass. It was a lovely sight, and he had a nice little bulge on his pants.

His small group of friends eventually sat next to him: Obi-Wan, Rex, and Ahsoka. All 3 of them were relatively popular and insisted on helping Anakin have a larger group of friends, but he constantly denied their offers.

“So, how was the day?”, Obi-Wan asked as if Anakin was gonna say anything other than “fine.”

“It was fine,” he answered to no surprise.

“Come on, Anakin, you gotta make more friends, man, or at least try your hand at your crush. We don’t wanna see ya here just sitting all alone and bored,” Rex insisted. Ahsoka agreed.

“Yeah, but I don’t know what to say. A lot of the boys here don’t really like me, and a lot of the girls might just gush over how ‘handsome’ I am,” he replied.

“Don’t you have a crush on someone, Skyguy?”, Ahsoka questioned. Anakin nodded.

“Yep, the girl in front of me: Padmé,” Anakin pointed in front of him.

“Ah, so that’s why you got something goin’ on down there, eh?”, Rex commented and pointed to his crotch. Anakin hit him in the stomach. Ahsoka nearly vomited. Obi-Wan just shook his head in disappointment and frustration.

“Dang it, Rex! Don’t you see we’re eating?”, Anakin scolded him.

The 4 eventually finished eating.

“Anakin, Rex is right, you have to try your hand at getting your crush,” Obi-Wan pointed out. Anakin gave an unsatisfied look.

“There are many girls who go on about how handsome I am, but she’s not one of them,” Anakin replied. Obi-Wan gave him the ‘time-to-lecture-you’ look.

“Look, Anakin, when I tried to get Satine as my girlfriend, she wasn’t really one who went on about how handsome I was, and I, quite frankly, was one of the better-looking males. However, I took my shot, and eventually, me and her fell in love with each other,” Obi-Wan lectured. Anakin looked like he was going to ask him a question, like he almost always does. Obi-Wan was a few years older than Anakin and acted as an older brother to him. Anakin appreciated his help although not many of the lectures he gave him were taken to heart by Anakin.

“Exactly how in-love are you two anyway?”, Anakin questioned. Rex and Ahsoka stared at Obi-Wan expecting his answer.

“Well, we had sex a few days ago,” Obi-Wan casually replied. The 3 widened their eyes.

“WHAT?”, Ahsoka was the first to react.

“Well, I don’t think I’m the first one…,” Obi-Wan said. Anakin and Rex still just staring awkwardly. Obi-Wan tried to change the subject.

“Well, my point goes clear: It won’t hurt to try to get into her, Anakin. I’m talking figuratively, of course, unless you’re daring enough. Maybe she actually likes you and just doesn’t speak up about it as much as others. There’s no harm in trying, Anakin.”

“So, are you going traditional or modern?”, Rex asked. Anakin didn’t understand.

“What do you mean?”

“By traditional, I mean, are you gonna go the ‘classic’ method and buy her a bouquet of flowers or something or are you gonna simply chat with her via text and go on from there?”, he explained. Anakin couldn’t decide yet as he was still thinking.

_End of day_

Anakin tried looking for Padmé in the campus. Eventually, he saw her, but she was talking to another guy, which made him feel down. He gazed at her for a few moments before walking off. Luckily, it was the end of the week, and that meant he could catch a break tomorrow and later today.

_Around half an hour later, Anakin got back home_

Anakin changed to house clothes again. It was time for rest.

“How was school, Ani?”. His mother, Shmi, entered the room and asked.

“It was fine,” Anakin said. Shmi nodded then shut the door and left. Shmi had taken care of Anakin for very long, perhaps longer than most others. Anakin didn’t have plans of moving elsewhere, and he’s on his senior year. Shmi didn’t seem to complain about it nor ask about it, however, as Anakin was a big help when it came to cleaning the house.

**_8:00 PM – August 21 st, Friday_ **

Anakin opened his cellphone and decided to check out one of the group chats he was in for a project. 

_“Ben: Hey, we’ll need a bouquet of flowers for Monday.”_

_“Amee: How big?”_

_“Ben: Around, uh…, just small, but not too small. I’d say close to the size of your clenched fist, but larger.”_

_“J.J.B.: Yousa sure?”_

_“Ben: Goodness’ sake, stop talking like that.”_

_“J.J.B.: But meesa not talking! Meesa typing!”_

_“Ben: Ugh…”_

_Anakin is typing…_

_“Anakin: Alright, I’ll buy it.”_

_“Amee: Wow, who would’ve thought?”_

_“Anakin: Whatever, I’ll buy it.”_

_“Ben: Alr.”_

Anakin closed his cellphone then giving out a small sigh. He eventually decided to get in bed. He tucked himself in.

**_Anakin’s Dreams – August 21 st/22nd, Friday/Saturday_ **

He was on what appeared to be a field, filled with the grass, as per usual. It was dark out, nighttime. There was a blanket not too far behind him, and there was someone sleeping on it as well. It was very much a female. There were two pillows, and he couldn’t see anyone else other than her. He was likely sleeping with whoever that person was. He moved closer to try to get a glimpse of who it was. It seemed like… _Padmé_? However, he blacked out before he could confirm.


	2. Chapter 2

**_8:00 AM – August 22 nd, Saturday_ **

Anakin got out of bed. It was late for a day at class, but it was weekend anyway. He got out of bed just barely, he was still feeling sleepy. However, it was early in the morning, so it was the perfect time to go to the flower shop and buy a bouquet of flowers. Shmi was still asleep, so he snuck out, assuming Shmi even had any problems with him going out of the house at 8 in the morning.

He didn’t bother to prepare much. All he did was change his underwear and pajamas. He didn’t bother to fix his hair nor change out of his shirt. Going to the flower shop wasn’t such a big thing anyway, so he didn’t really care much. He left with the front door closed, not locked, of course. It was a cloudy day, but it didn’t seem like it was about to rain, which was his preferred weather.

He hadn’t really been to the local flower shop before, but apparently, it was a nice humble shop which were liked by the public. When he saw the shop over across the street, it was just as people described it. It was small and humble, but it really stood out, which likely gave it a good rep. He checked when it would be open and, lucky for him, it was going to open in 2 minutes.

He took the time off to sightsee. The city was busy, full of people. There was not a single second that you couldn’t see a person, but it was more relaxed during the early morning, obviously. Streets were filled with cars, some seemed expensive while most seemed like your everyday family car. The buildings were mostly neat whereas some seemed dirty and even abandoned.

He got slightly surprised when someone next to him asked “First customer?”. He looked to see who it was, and it was Padmé herself. “Oh, h-hey… Padmé,” Anakin nervously greeted. “Hey, Anakin.” She reached out for her right pocket to get the keys and unlocked the doors. She was wearing a checkered polo today with your typical jeans. 

“So, you coming in?”, she pouted slightly. “Oh, y-yeah,” Anakin kept on hesitating.

“So, what’re you looking for?”. She positioned herself behind the counter as she was the florist. “A small bouquet of flowers that you’d use for a project,” he replied. Padmé pointed to the row of bouquets in front of her, showing the small bouquets he needed. He grabbed a bouquet of yellow flowers, though he wondered if those were exactly sunflowers or not. He wasn’t the smartest when it came to flowers.

He gave her the bouquet and the payment. “Need it packed?”, she asked him. “Nope, might come here tomorrow, I think someone’s gonna need some flowers for me,” he commented. “Well, th-that’s great,” she hesitated slightly for no reason.

“Okay, have a good day,” she smiled as she gave him the bouquet back. “Y-you, too,” he said in reply, smiling back slightly while also waving his hand slightly.

He opened the door and headed back for home. His mother was likely awake by now, and she was likely making breakfast. “Hey, mom,” he greeted after getting back with a slight spring in his step. “Hey, Ani, what do you have there?”, she pointed to his hand. “It’s for a project,” he said as he gave one of the flowers to her. “Thanks, Ani,” she smiled.

“I’ll head off to my room fir- “. He got interrupted. “But, breakfast is ready,” Shmi said.

“Ah, alright,” he sat by the table. It was hard boiled eggs; typical breakfast but one he enjoyed. He had finished eating in the span of a few minutes. It seemed like he was in a rush. After eating, he paid a visit to the bathroom before going to his bedroom again. He sat on the bed and decided to check on his phone.

He took a picture of the bouquet he bought and sent it to the group chat. They said he bought the right ones to his relief. He sighed. After that, he got off the phone and looked around the room. The room was quite the mess. Posters everywhere, and they weren’t placed neatly if they were on the walls as well. Heck, there was more than just posters scattered on the floor. His college stuff was scattered as well.

He decided to get up and started cleaning. He tidied his posters which he didn’t want on the walls anymore and decided to straighten out those that were on the walls. All the books that were scattered on the floor were neatly placed and organized back on the shelves. He fixed the bed then went to the front of the room to admire his good yet very much overdue cleaning.

He heard his phone ringing, indicating a call. He decided to check on who it was. It was Rex. He answered.

“Hey, man.”

“Hey, Rex, what do you got?”

“Well, I was going to tell you about if you wanted to meet a certain someone today.”

“Oh, Padmé? Yep, she was the florist at the local flower shop.”

“Ah, so you know already. Anyway, I forgot to ask how the exams went yesterday?”

“Oh, right, yeah. It was easy. And, for you?”

“Eeeeh, it’s always easy for you. It’s not for me,” Rex grunted.

“So, are you planning to make your move on Padmé?”, Rex followed up.

“Mmm, I’m thinking of a plan on how to do that,” Anakin answered.

“Tell you what, how about this: I think she’s the florist on early morning weekends, so you should go back to the flower shop again tomorrow. Try to be early, so she’ll be more interested in talking to ya. After that, she’ll likely ask about what those flowers are for, since you’re not someone who’d be too interested in flowers. Say that you’re buying them for the person you want to date. After you finish paying, you give those flowers to her. I got this feeling she’ll accept,” Rex explained.

“Ah, Rex, you’re the man. I owe you one,” Anakin thanked him.

“Yep, no problem. Alright, see you around, buddy.”

“See you.”

The call ended, and Anakin had a mischievous smile now that he had a plan. He decided to spend some time to read his books and study before doing something different. Around half an hour into studying, he got a call from Obi-Wan, so he answered the call.

“Hey, what do you need?”, Anakin opened the conversation.

“Hey, Anakin, do you have notes on the lecture from yesterday?”

“Yep, you need some?”

“Yeah, I think I’ve missed a few, just send the pictures.”

“Alright.”

“I’m gonna go now. I have some stuff to do.”

“Alright, see ya.”

The call ended, and the rest of the day didn’t really have anything surprising.


	3. Chapter 3

**_7:30 AM, August 23 rd, Sunday_ **

Anakin had a hard time sleeping last night. He was thinking too much about Padmé. He was also thinking about the plan that Rex told him yesterday to get Padmé to go on a date with him. It seemed good, but he needed to execute it well for it to work out, which he was most worried about. He also woke up relatively early today. Shmi was still sound asleep, so he could get out of the house with no problems.

He decided to prepare himself more this time. He fixed his ‘woke-up-like-this’ hair and went for a more casual and good-looking hairstyle. He could play with his hair a bit as it was relatively long. He changed his shirt, underwear, and PJs. He also decided to wear his favorite black leather jacket as it was cold in the morning.

The clouds covered the morning sky as he walked down the street. The city was even less busy compared to yesterday. He got out much earlier, so he had much more time to get there compared to yesterday. If he’d go any faster than he was, he’d be too early and would have to wait for a while. He was almost walking at snail’s pace.

He arrived 3 minutes before the shop opened. All that Anakin felt was nervousness. He had no idea if Padmé would accept his offer or not, let alone if he would even have the courage to offer her to go out on a date in the first place. However, Rex gave him the plan, and Rex was always the go-to guy to those stuff, so he hoped this’ll work. Rex never fails him.

“Hey, Anakin, you beat me again,” Padmé knocked him back into reality. “Oh, hey, again,” he realized she was there. Padmé unlocked the shop, and the two of them entered. He went to the row in front of Padmé as those had the small bouquets. He decided to grab the small bouquet of roses since roses were the go-to flower when it came to romance.

“So, what’re the roses for?”, she asked Anakin. “I’m gonna give this to the person I wanna date,” he replied. “What are those for?”, he saw a small bouquet that Padmé was holding. “Oh, uh, same reason as you.”

Anakin immediately felt very down. Padmé was interested in someone else. It was likely that guy she’d been talking to by the end of Friday. A frown showed up on Anakin’s face. It’s like his morale had been split in two. “What’s wrong?”, Padmé asked. “Remember when I said I wanted to give this to the person I wanted to date? Well, she’s interested in someone else now,” he downheartedly gave her the bouquet before walking to the door.

“WAIT!”, Padmé shouted his name. “The person I wanted to date was… you. You told me yesterday you were coming tomorrow, so I got this small bouquet for you,” she told him. Anakin’s eyes widened. He had gotten himself a date. The two were so close to missing out on dating each other because they thought they wanted to date someone else.

“So, would you like to go out with me on a date?”, Anakin said, with his confidence boosted. “Of course,” Padmé smiled. “When would you like to do it?”, she followed up.

“Next Saturday night? I’ll just text you about where it’ll be.”

“Alright, Ani, you have yourself a date,” she blushed. Padmé wrote her number on the receipt for the bouquet Anakin bought before Anakin was about to leave.

“Come again,” Padme mentioned with a clear smirk. Anakin left the flower shop, a smile painted on his face. One problem he had to face was thinking too far ahead. Another was exactly where the date would take place. This was just a first date.

**_12:15 PM, August 24 th, Monday_ **

“Anakin, is there something going on? You’ve been having that smile stuck on your face ever since you got here?”, Obi-Wan commented.

“First off, where’s a good place to spend a first date?”, Anakin cheekily asked.

“WHOA, SKYGUY! YOU GOT A DATE?”, Ahsoka shouted, luckily only the 3 of them heard her.

“Shh, Snips, and yes, I have a date,” Anakin replied.

“Let me guess, with the help of me?”, Rex asked with a smug smile on his face. It was likely his plan that was the biggest help. Anakin nodded, and the two high-fived each other.

“Well, Anakin, if you want to be different, I’d suggest your first date NOT be in some restaurant. It’s the norm, and if you want her to see you as exciting immediately, I’d suggest some place else,” Obi-Wan suggested.

“Ooh, how about you spend some time with her on some field? I think there’s one near us. Besides, it hasn’t rained since a few months ago, you 2 should be good,” Ahsoka answered. Obi-Wan stroked his chin.

“If that’s the case, perhaps before that, that’s when you can invite her for dinner,” Obi-Wan changed his answer. Rex nodded.

“Alright, then, thanks, guys,” Anakin said to the 3 of them.

“Haha, good luck out there, buddy. I knew ya had it in ya,” Rex patted him on his shoulder then wrapped his left arm around the top of his shoulders.

**_7:45 PM, August 24 th, Monday_ **

Anakin decided to try and call Padmé.

_Anakin: Hey._

_Padmé: Hey, have an idea for where we could have a date?_

_Anakin: I have one, but it would be overnight._

_Padmé: I have work on Saturday morning, but I can take the day off for Sunday. Besides, nothing big is happening next week that’s related to studies._

_Anakin: Alright, I was planning on spending the night out by this open field near my house, and it doesn’t rain. Perhaps I could pick you up for dinner, we’ll eat at a restaurant near my place, then we’ll sleep over by the field. I can bring the blanket and pillows and all that. I can bring you back to your house for breakfast next morning._

_Padmé: That’d be lovely, Ani._

_Anakin: Yeah, might want to bring some clothes to sleep in, too._

_Padmé: If nobody other than you can see me change clothes out in that field, then alright._

_Anakin: You could just change by the trees nearby or in the car, I promise I won’t look._

_Padmé: Mm, I don’t think you’ll keep that promise._

_Anakin: Hehe._

_Anakin: Oh, my mom said it was fine, so yeah, I’m good._

_Padmé: Oh, you’re a mama’s boy? Aww, I always loved those types, hehe._

_Anakin: Hehe, yeah. Wouldn’t have stayed a mama’s boy if it weren’t for my laziness, heh. Anyway, I could pick you up around… 6:15 PM Saturday._

_Padmé: Alright, anyway, I got to go now._

_Anakin: Alright, bye._

_Padmé: Bye._

The call ended.

**_6:00 AM, August 29 th, Saturday_ **

“So, Padmé, tell me about this Anakin,” Sabé asked Padmé

“Well, he’s one of the more popular boys in school, although he’s kind of an introvert.”

“And, what makes him so interesting?”

“Well, he’s pretty fucking hot, and our first date seems pretty interesting,” Padme replied.

“Okay, okay, you didn’t need to swear at me. I’m sorry.”

“No, no, I just added ‘fucking’ for emphasis,” Padme chuckled.

“Oh.”

“We’re gonna sleep together overnight by this field near a forest.”

“What if he abducts you?”

“Come on, Sabé, don’t be such a pessimist. He doesn’t seem like that kind of guy,” she replied with her tone raised a bit.

“Alright, alright.”


	4. Chapter 4

**_6:30 PM, August 29 th, Saturday_ **

Anakin got onto his Honda Civic to drive to Padmé’s. It wasn’t the most modern, but he just took it out of the car wash, which should give the right illusions. He wasn’t in much of a rush, so he was able to prepare himself for this one quite well. He checked out the field earlier, and it seemed to be in fine condition. He also had blankets, which he could use as a mat, and pillows for him and Padmé.

He wore a black jacket with a grey shirt and jeans, going for a less formal attire like Padmé. Along with that, he put some gel on his hair to make his long hair tidier.

He stopped by the outside of Padmé’s house and waited outside for a minute or two. Eventually, she got out, and he was stunned. Padmé wore a long black leather jacket with a black top and black leather pants, going all-black. She also had a small ponytail.

“Hey, handsome,” Padmé greeted him. “Well, hello, angel,” Anakin greeted back. “Angel, huh?”, she commented. Anakin smirked. The two got in the car and headed for the restaurant.

“So, I was wondering, would you like to spend some time at a bar tonight? I know one near the restaurant. Plus, it could be a good pastime if we get finish eating early,” Anakin asked.

“Whatever you say, I’m pretty much all yours today, love.” Padmé pouted. Anakin chuckled slightly.

“Well, after we eat dinner, we’ll be headed for the Premier Coruscant Club,” Anakin proudly mentioned.

“Premier? Isn’t that the paid one?”

“It always helps to have extra savings.”

“Oh, Ani, you really went all-out today, didn’t you?”, Padmé commented.

“Yep, I went swinging for the fences for a first date. I’m not up to make this a simple dinner date,” Anakin replied.

“Oh, Ani…,” Padmé blushed slightly.

**_7:45 PM, August 29 th, Saturday_ **

“Well, are you sure I’m gonna pay for all this?”, Anakin said as he jokingly mused on the bill.

“Well, you were swinging for the fences on this one, love,” Padmé smirked.

“Hehe, alright, alright, don’t worry. I also have the virtual ticket to the club right here,” Anakin showed her a screenshot on his phone. “It’s for the both of us, angel,” Anakin followed up.

“I just realized we haven’t talked _that_ much throughout the dinner,” Padmé pointed out. Anakin just realized.

“We could spend some time drinking at the club, and we’ll talk there.”

“If we drink, wouldn’t that mean you shouldn’t drive to that field?”

“It’s a short trip, it’ll be fine, angel,” Anakin reassured.

**_8:15 PM, August 29 th, Saturday_ **

“So, angel, let’s dance?”, Anakin offered a few minutes after arriving at the club. The music was at full force, and the song playing was one of Anakin’s favorite songs. There were many people dancing, around 60% of the people at the club were dancing.

“Alright,” Padmé accepted his offer, so the two of them danced.

Their time dancing was arguably one of the better moments in their life. For a short while, they had forgotten almost everything in the world. They had forgotten college, work, their friends, their enemies, and the stress. They didn’t need to worry about all that, at least not right now. All they needed to do was live the moment. It was only the two of them on the dance floor with the music.

“So, how’d you like that?”

“I loved it, Ani.”

“How about we get some drinks over there?”, Anakin pointed to the bar area. The two of them decided to sit next to each other and have a chat.

“So, what course are you in?”, Anakin started the conversation.

“Uh, Law, though I considered Finance back then.”

“Mechanical Engineering for me.”

“So, what are you gonna be? Tony Stark?”

“Maybe, and you could, uh… does Tony have a lawyer?”

“I don’t think there’s any popular movie character who’s just a lawyer.”

“Right, if you were into Finance, you could be my Pepper Potts.”

“Was she on finance?”

“I think, whatever.”

The two of them smiled at each other for a moment before getting back to chatting. Padmé was taking more drinks than Anakin was although Anakin never really bothered to say anything about it as she wasn’t the one who was going to drive. He couldn’t drink that much if he was going to drive, let alone drink anything at all.

“Well, how’ve you been on internships?”, Padmé asked.

“I’ve been doing fine. I’m interning for, uh… have you heard of Clanka Facilities?”

“Wait, you’re interning for Grievous? Woah, that’s something you don’t see every day.”

“Yeah, he can be rough around the edges, but he’s a nice guy overall. His standards are quite high, but I think I can manage. Besides, if he gives me that checkmark, then it’s a very big win,” Anakin reassured.

“I’ve been doing well so far. You know, typical politics. I wouldn’t want to go into specifics because politics can ruin a moment easily, heh.” The two chuckled.

“Isn’t Grievous one who gives his feedback often? What’re his thoughts on you?”, Padmé asked.

“Well, not so long ago, he said I was one of the better interns of the lot. He’d even gone as far to say that one of my proposals was ‘revolutionary,’ and Grievous is the type of guy who only gives credit where it’s due,” Anakin boasted. Padmé clapped a bit.

“Wait, you’re only doing proposals?”

“No, no, no, we do more than that, of course.”

“So, do you think Grievous is going to absorb you into his company?”

“I’m not one to get ahead of myself, but I guess so if I keep it up.”

“Oh, I hope so, love. It’d be so great to be with someone who not only is damn sexy, but also damn smart. I say that because beauty and intelligence don’t usually go together, at least not with the boys I’ve met,” Padmé commented. Anakin smiled before giving her a light kiss on the cheek. Padmé smiled back.

**_9:30 PM, August 29 th, Saturday_ **

The two had made it to the field. Padmé decided to leave the car for a moment to let Anakin change to his sleeping outfit. It took a short while because it was a tight fit, but it was better than nothing. Anakin left the car for Padmé to change her clothes, but before she went inside, she said something to Anakin.

“Hey, if you can’t stop yourself from peeking at me while changing, just don’t bother and look, I won’t really mind. Besides, love, it’s just you, anyway,” Padmé noted. Anakin nodded, almost having a smug and mischievous smile on his face.

Anakin decided to lay down the blanket, using it as a mat, and the pillows to hold it down in place. He also had a second blanket as it was cold. After setting them up, he peeked at Padmé in the car. She also happened to see him peeking, so she winked at him. Then, Anakin got back to what he was doing.

Padmé got out of the car and went to him. The two then laid down on the blanket which they used as a mat.

“Are you sure you want to use this blanket as a mat? It’s pretty to me,” she pouted.

“Not as pretty as you, angel,” Anakin snuck in a compliment then softly stroking her hair. Padmé chuckled.

“You know, for a first date, we’re really getting into each other,” Padmé realized. Anakin smiled at the comment.

“It helps when the love’s been building up for many months,” he pointed out.

“And, exactly how long were you falling in love with me before I knew?”

“Er, around a year.”

“Woah, and I got into you around 7 months ago.”

“I guess I’m just too much of an introvert. Sorry, angel. It’s just I was too cautious, and I wanted to know that you loved me first,” Anakin sighed, even shedding a small tear. Padmé’s smile drowned for a bit.

“Hey, Ani, there’s no need to worry about it now. You’re with me now. You’ve done it.” She wiped off the small tear on Anakin’s eye with her finger.

“Tell you what, are you gonna decide if my nickname is going to be ‘love’ or ‘Ani?’”

“Well, a man like you deserves more than one nickname.” Anakin blushed to the statement. Then, Anakin firmly kissed Padmé on the cheek, though extremely close to the lips. After Anakin pulled out, Padmé turned her head to him and fiercely kissed him on the lips. Anakin’s eyes widened for a moment before he settled into the kiss.

Padmé positioned herself on Anakin’s torso, her legs placed neatly on either side, essentially straddling. “Would this be too much love for a first date?” Padmé pouted. Anakin shook his head. “Maybe, but I’m not one to say ‘no.’” Padmé chuckled. “If we got a little more personal, would you be mad?”. Anakin shook his head. Padmé chuckled.

“Well, I’m not really feeling ambitious, but I guess you could tease me a bit,” Anakin noted. Padmé nodded.

Padmé started off by kissing Anakin on the cheek then trailing kisses all the way down the neck. Anakin tilted his head to accommodate. Her wet and soothing kisses made Anakin gasp slightly. After reaching his torso, she pulled down Anakin’s shirt slightly then she finished up by kissing Anakin’s chest. Anakin smiled at her in response before examining her, seemingly trying to plan something.

“Wait, do you even know how to make out?”, Padmé asked, laughing as she said it. Anakin shook his head almost in disappointment. “Well, I’ll try,” he tried to be optimistic. She laughed. He started off by placing his hands on her hips, lightly tapping them with his fingers. Then, he moved his hands down until he made it to her ass, squeezing them lightly to make sure it didn’t hurt her. She bit her lips.

“You’re quite a natural,” she commented. Anakin chuckled then sat up slightly. She moved backwards to help him get up. Anakin tied his arms around the back of her neck, offering her to kiss him. She placed her hands around the back of Anakin’s head, and the two passionately kissed each other.

“God, I love you. I don’t know why, but I want to give you the world,” Padmé said after pulling out, laughing slightly. Anakin laughed as well. “I would say the same,” he replied. Anakin had a smile strapped on his face for the rest of the night as they chatted a bit more. They slept at around 10:30 PM.


	5. Chapter 5

**_7:15 AM, August 30 th, Sunday_ **

Anakin got up first and decided to check his watch. Padmé was still sound asleep. He wasn’t planning on waking the lady up until he remembered that Padmé had to get back home early. Hence, he kissed her in the cheek, keeping his soft lips attached to her beautiful cheeks until she finally started to wake up. She opened her eyes and looked at him staring down on her with a soft yet powerful gaze. His blue eyes meeting with her brown eyes.

“Good morning, angel.” Anakin smiled at her.

“Well, hello, there, Ani,” she replied, smiling back.

“I should get you back home now,” he told her. Padmé shook her head then pulled Anakin towards her.

“No, no, no, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind me not being there for breakfast. Isn’t there a place we can eat at not far from here?”. Anakin nodded.

“How about you give me a good-morning kiss? On the lips, this time.” Anakin obliged and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

“Are you sure we can eat with this on?”. Anakin pointed out that the two of them were still wearing sleepwear.

“Don’t you have extra clothes on you? Because I do, too.” Anakin nodded again.

The two changed clothes before setting off towards that fast food restaurant. Luckily for them, the prices were cheap, so they could afford a meal easily.

**_12:15 PM, August 31 st, Monday_ **

“So, Skyguy, how did it go?”, Ahsoka started the conversation. Obi-Wan and Rex watched intently.

“Let’s just say we made out on the grass field underneath the night sky, and I got a good few kisses on the lips,” Anakin boasted. The 3 of them clapped.

“Like I said, I knew ya had it in ya, HAHAHA,” Rex patted him in the shoulder quite forcefully. Anakin just smiled.

“So, are you planning to go out on another date?”, Obi-Wan asked. Anakin nodded.

“I asked her if she could go for, uh, next Sunday for a short dinner though I have a weird feeling something will get in the way,” Anakin replied. Obi-Wan nodded.

“You keep that up, and you two will be in a relationship in no time,” Obi-Wan assured him.

“That’s assuming we aren’t already in one,” Anakin said with a mischievous smile. The 3 chuckled.

Unlike most first dates where the pair either make out as friends with benefits or simply try to get to know each other, Anakin’s lengthy first date allowed him and Padmé to do both, and perhaps getting drunk helped with getting the two of them to make out with each other. Anakin doesn’t talk to Padmé too much in the campus as she’s usually busy and the same went for him, but he does talk to her a lot when the day’s over and they’re on their phones.

**_7:45 PM, August 31 st, Monday_ **

Anakin’s phone rang while he was trying to relax in his bedroom. It was Grievous.

_Grievous: Anakin Skywalker!_

_Anakin: Ah, professor, good evening._

_Grievous: I’m sorry to interrupt your pleasant evening, but do you remember that proposal which was due within two weeks from now?_

_Anakin: Mhm, yes._

_Grievous: Well, one of my interns haven’t passed theirs in time, and I haven’t been able to crack something new for my employees to work on. I was wondering if you could perhaps give me your proposal by next Monday. I promise I’ll boost you up my ‘intern rankings’ if you can give me a good proposal by then._

_Anakin: Oh, uh, alright, then. Friday?_

_Grievous: Yes, yes, thank you, my friend._

The call ended. Anakin sighed, knowing he likely would have to move the date to sometime else, so the first person he called was Padmé.

_Anakin: Hey, angel._

_Padmé: Hey, Ani._

_Anakin: Hey, so remember the date we had planned for next weekend? Yeah, I kinda need to cancel that._

_Padmé: I’m not mad or anything, we can do it some other time, but why?_

_Anakin: Grievous wants me to finish my proposal by next Monday. I could deny the offer, but if I did it right, he’d give me a boost on his ‘intern rankings,’ as he said._

_Padmé: Ah, well, anything to help your future, love. Alright, let’s just keep up with each other? You know, just chat at the end of the day._

_Anakin: Alright, well, I have to get back to work now, angel._

_Padmé: Alright, Ani, see ya._

_Anakin: Bye._

The call ended. Anakin sighed again as he worked on his proposal again.

**_9:00 AM, July 6 th, Sunday_ **

Anakin woke up only to find out that Shmi wasn’t there that day. He had stayed up late last night to try and finish his proposal, and luckily, it’ll only take around 4 more hours’ worth of working before he finishes, but he’s not planning on calling Padmé again for the date to recontinue as he wanted to rest after hard work. He saw that there was food ready, and he just needed to heat them up for them to be ready to eat. However, he tried looking for Shmi first.

“Mom? Mom? Mom! Where are you?”. He tried finding her. She was nowhere to be found. He checked the garage, and the car wasn’t there. He would likely have felt relieved that Shmi probably just went to get something, but Shmi never goes away this early in the morning. Besides, there was nothing big that was happening today that would make Shmi leave the house so early. Hence, he got worried again.

He checked the fridge, and there was a sticky note on it:

_Hey, Ani, I haven’t been feeling too well last night, and I didn’t want to interrupt your business since I understand you have a deadline for your work. Hence, if you’re reading this, I’m likely not at the house as I am at the hospital right now. I left at exactly 12:27 AM of July 6. I’ll call you when I can, so I can talk to you again. Also, if you need to go somewhere, just call up one of your friends as I took the car, sorry. Miss you, Ani :)_

  * _Shmi_



A few seconds after reading that, he got a call from his mom.

_Anakin: Hey, mom._

_Shmi: Hey, Ani._

_Anakin: I just saw your note. Are you fine?_

_Shmi: Not really, Ani. The doctors said I have type 2 cancer. I’ll get the treatment, but it’ll be a hefty price. I’ll send the price to you once they finalize it since they say the treatment’s working._

_Anakin: I can handle it, mom._

_Shmi: Thanks, Ani. Also, don’t bother to visit sometime, but I’m not forcing you since I know you’re a busy child._

_Anakin: Alright, bye, mom. Get well soon._

_Shmi: Love you, Ani._

The call ended. Anakin sat down on a chair and shook his head in frustration. A few moments later, he broke down crying. He didn’t know what to do. Unlike someone like Padmé, he doesn’t have a job which he could get money from, and even if he did get a bare minimum job, it would take painstakingly long for him to get the enough money for the medical bills. He had to do something, but he couldn’t just ask for money. However, he called up Padmé as he could likely get advice from her.

_Anakin: Hello?_

_Padmé: Hey, love._

_Anakin: Hey, Padmé._

_Padmé: Is something wrong? Your voice says something’s wrong._

_Anakin: Yeah, something’s very wrong. My mom has Type 2 cancer._

_Padmé: (gasp) Are you sure?_

_Anakin: She just called me earlier, and my mom’s not someone to lie like that. I was hoping you could give me advice to make ends meet._

_Padmé: Listen, Ani, my parents are extremely rich to the point that it’s hard to believe. You could get money from them, just say the word, and I’ll ask. Trust me, I think it’s stupid that they do that, too._

_Anakin: How much would they look for in return though?_

_Padmé: Nothing, I’m serious, but don’t lose it because you likely won’t get another._

_Anakin: Are you really going to do this for me?_

_Padmé: Remember at our date that I said I was gonna give you the world? Well, I’m not gonna lie about that._

_Anakin: Th-thank you, Padmé…_

_Padmé: Is it fine if I give it to you in person outside the campus tomorrow? It’ll come in cash._

_Anakin: Alright, angel. Thank you. (sobs)_

_Padmé: Almost forgot, how much?_

_Anakin: Oh, just got the message, 50k. Is that too much?_

_Padmé: I don’t know. I’m not a med expert, but I don’t think that’s too much for my parents._

_Anakin: I… love you, Padmé._

_Padmé: I love you, too, Ani._

The call ends. Fast forward a day, and Anakin has received the cash.

**_7:30 PM, July 7 th, Monday_ **

Anakin couldn’t get the smile off his face. Just like that, the problems with the medical bills are solved. He could’ve loaned from the bank, but the opportunity just popped up in front of his face. He had to take it. However, there was something looming in the back of his mind: the urge to repay Padmé.

Although Padmé specifically said her parents didn’t ask for a return, Anakin couldn’t resist the urge to pay her back. After all, you would think that people who casually give you half a hundred thousand dollars would ask for a return. The good thing is Anakin knows exactly how to double that: a casino. There was one not too far from his house. It was within walking distance, so it realistically wouldn’t take him too long to get there.

Anakin always had luck when it came to gambling even though he hadn’t been to one in a while. Sometimes, he wondered how he gets so lucky, but he’s not complaining. His luck almost never lets him down, so doubling the 50k was gonna be a walk in the park for him.


	6. Chapter 6

**_8:15 PM, July 7 th, Monday_ **

Anakin pretty much hadn’t bothered about sleeping early for school tomorrow. The only big thing he had to finish for this week was his proposal, which he had already passed. Grievous liked it, which was great news. All he had to do was double his 50k, and he’ll be able to pay both the medical bills and Padmé. This was going to be a walk in the park.

He went to a roulette table and placed his bet. “50k, red,” he said as he placed his cards on the red. Some of the fellow gamblers gasped that he was placing so much on just one. Others smiled because of Anakin’s boldness. Not long after, the table was closed off to bets and his luck was put to the test.

He watched the little ball roll around the roulette. _Black, Red, Black, Red, Green._ He watched extremely intently. His intense stare locked onto the little ball, praying that it would land on red. He hadn’t said anything about what he didn’t want it to land on, so he didn’t cast any bad luck to himself. He covered his mouth with his clenched fist as he begins to sweat. The ball’s slowing down now.

_Black, Red, Black, Red, Black, Green… Black._

He lost it. He lost it all. Anakin covered his face with one hand, trying his best not to cry knowing some gamblers would make fun of him for crying. He walked out of the casino. His heart practically torn apart. His brain practically punching him, asking him why he thought that was a good idea.

_…_

_Padmé: YOU LOST ALL THE MONEY AT A GODDAMN CASINO!?_

_Anakin: I just wanted to pay you back…_

_Padmé: I told you myself: YOU HAD NO DEBT!_

_Anakin: I know, I know…_

_Padmé: Well, why didn’t you just split it between black and red?_

_Anakin: I don’t know if that’s allowed…_

_Padmé: Regardless, why did you have to double it?_

_Anakin: I know, it’s just I had the urge to pay you back._

_Padmé: That’s practically nothing for them. It would’ve been fine._

_Anakin: Hey, you don’t need to worry about it. It’s my issue?_

_Padmé: JUST YOUR ISSUE!? Anakin, if you lost that much money without even needing to bet it, then I don’t know if you should be my boyfriend. It’s not about what you lost, it’s about the decision you made. You and I both know you didn’t need to do that. Even if you did win, I still would’ve gotten mad at you for taking the meaningless risk._

_Anakin: Listen, Padmé, I’m-_

_Padmé: Sorry? I know damn well you’re sorry, but you’re gonna need to do more than that to fix this. Mind you, you’re not the only one taking the fall, but your mom as well._

_Anakin: I know._

_Padmé: And, until you find a way to fix this, we’re done._

Padmé ends the call abruptly. Anakin tried his best not to cry, but he couldn’t help it. He lost 50k just because he was trying to be generous even if he didn’t need to. He had failed not just himself, but his mother, and his girlfriend, too. He didn’t want to call Shmi knowing that would just make the situation worse. He didn’t want to loan because, if he failed to deliver even after getting free money, he wouldn’t be able to deliver if the money he was getting wasn’t free.

**_10:00 AM, July 12 th, Saturday_ **

“Hey, Rex,” Anakin greeted as he arrived at his house.

“Hey, man, is there something wrong?”, Rex said, immediately sensing the bad mood that Anakin was in.

“Yeah, my mom had cancer. Padmé insisted on giving me 50k for free, so I took it,” he explained. Rex gave him a confused look.

“Then, shouldn’t you be thankful because it was problem solved?”

“Out of generosity, I wanted to pay her back because it felt like she deserved 50k for herself as well, so I went to a casino to double it. You probably know what happens next.” Rex’s face turned from confused to downright sad.

“Damn, that’s a bad move from ya, but damn, I also feel kinda sorry.”

“I was hoping if you had any ideas on how to fix it. Also, me and Padmé broke up, at least until and if I find a way to fix it.”

“Do you know how to drive? More specifically, race?”

“Yeah, why?”

“There’s a big street race coming up in 2 weeks from now. Apparently, the prize would be 150 grand, which would allow you to pay the bills, get Padmé back, give me 25k because I’ma work hard to get you in this, and get 25k to yourself.”

“Damn, that’s a lot.”

“Yeah, but I’ve been to these races before, man. They ain’t a scam. Tell you what, come with me.”

Rex led Anakin to a large garage not too far from his house. He eventually pointed to a dirty, rusty, and damaged vehicle, and Anakin widened his eyes in surprise.

“Holy crap, is that a Ford Mustang?”

“2013, but she’s still good.”

“Nice.”

“If you’re gonna race for me, you’ll get to drive in that, but you need to help me fix it.”

“What happened to it?”

“Last guy who drove it for me busted it. Don’t know where he is now.”

“So, let’s get to work?”

“Alright.”

Rex and Anakin began to work. First, they started to wash the dirty vehicle as they didn’t really have the stuff to repair it. Rex said he was going to buy what he needed to fix it later tonight. The two just focused on washing the vehicle. Eventually, they got the job done. The car appeared to be light blue with white stripes, evoking a racing car’s look.

“Alright, I’m gonna buy the stuff now. You can stay here for a few minutes and see if there are some stuff you want to add to it, just search the garage,” Rex said. Anakin nodded.

Anakin looked around the garage. There were some spoilers, paint bottles, and 2 NOS cans. He picked up the cans one-at-a-time, and both were in good condition. He also checked out the spoiler, and it seemed to fit the car as well. He decided to leave them by the worktable, so he didn’t forget about it tomorrow.

**_9:15 AM, July 13 th, Saturday_ **

“Hey, you’re back,” Rex greeted.

“Did you really think I was going to abandon the opportunity?”. Anakin chuckled.

The two went to the garage.

“Why did you set these at the worktable?”. Rex pointed to the 2 NOS cans and spoiler on the table, which he moved to another worktable to make room for the stuff he bought.

“Oh, uh, I was wondering if we could, you know, hook those up,” he replied.

“Ah, alright, but let’s fix the car first.” Rex and Anakin got rid of the blown tires and replaced them with new ones. Then, they finicked with the engine to make sure that it worked right. After that, they concealed the dents scattered throughout the body. Lastly, they fixed the rear bumper to finish it up.

“Oh, brilliant, brilliant.” Anakin admired their work. Rex chuckled before the two of them got back to work to install the modifications that Anakin wanted.

“Alright, but how’s the track gonna look like?”, Anakin questioned.

“Come with me.” Rex led Anakin to his pickup to head to where they were gonna race.

**_1:30 PM, July 13 th, Saturday_ **

Rex drove into an old and abandoned village. It seemed like the go-to place for a street race. Anakin looked around for a bit.

“You want me to show you how an actual lap goes?”, Rex asked.

“Yep.”

“Hop on.”

Rex eventually drove around the village in a “P-shape.” It appeared to be simple.

“Just remember to keep going straight then go around the yellow house.” Rex assured Anakin. “Alright,” Anakin replied.

“One-lap sprint?”, Anakin asked.

“Yep.”

“Alright, got it.”

“Nice.”

“Wait, wait, wait.”

“What is it?”

“If I win, do I get to keep the car?”

“Eh, I have a feeling your mum’s gonna be a little skeptical about that.”

“But, if I win, can I keep it if I want?”

“I’ll see.”


	7. Chapter 7

**_8:30 PM, July 27 th, Saturday_ **

“Alright, man, you got this.” Rex tried to give Anakin some encouragement before the start of the race.

“Crap, I almost forgot to ask, how many racers?”. Anakin hurriedly asked.

“Uh, 5, including you, but don’t try to overtake at the turn, at least not when 3-wide. You can only fit like 2 cars in there, 3 barely. Also, apparently, it’s 2 laps now, so conserve your NOS,” Rex advised.

“Alright, alright.” Rex patted Anakin on the shoulder before walking off. The 5 cars lined up behind the set starting line. A girl walked up across one side of the line to the other, holding a green shirt up in the air. When she throws it down, the race will begin. Anakin tried to give himself some encouragement.

_Remember who this is for? This is for Padmé, this is for mom, this is for Rex, this is for myself, and this is for what I’ve done. It’s all coming down to this…_

Anakin had a vise grip on the handbrake, not having any intent to let it go.

_The green shirt is thrown down. The race begins…_

Anakin let go of the handbrake then put his feet to the floor. Rex shook his head in frustration as Anakin put too much pressure on the gas, making him get off with a lousy start. Anakin was already last after the opening exchange. He climbed up the gears. He could hear the anger of the engine covering off the faint cheering of the crowd. However, he had to focus on the race at hand.

The car right ahead of Anakin, another Mustang, except a newer version, used its NOS to jump into the lead. Anakin was tempted to follow him, but he wanted to save the NOS for later. The 3rd place car moved down to 4th, but the gap between Anakin and the 4th place driver was around a cars’ length, which laid the pressure right on top of his head.

Anakin was beginning to out-drag the 4th place car. He eventually overtook him, putting him in 4th place now. However, he had to take into account the turn that Rex was talking about. Anakin was on the outside line, so he was already positioned badly for the turn. However, he knew that braking early would allow him to get on the gas quickly, setting him up well for the long left-hander.

He stepped on the brakes earlier than the rest of the pack, momentarily dropping him down to 5th place. Then, he stepped on the gas, allowing him to jump up a few positions. Anakin was now in 2nd place. The car in front of him was an Audi R6. He didn’t know what version. However, he knew that car was fast, especially if it was modified.

Anakin made the wise decision of not using NOS on the backstretch. Unfortunately, that pulled him down to 3rd place, but he wanted to keep a hold of that 2nd, so he braked early heading into the hairpin, and he was able to perform a “switcheroo” on the man who just overtook him.

Anakin got into his game now as the roar of the engine and crowd got quieter and quieter as he got more focused on his own race. He trailed closely behind the Audi, but it was just stretching away ever so slightly. The Audi R6 didn’t appear to be using NOS, at least not right now.

Heading into the turn again, Anakin braked shortly before the Audi did, but he wasn’t trying the switcheroo on him. Instead, he waited until the end of the turn to brake early again and set himself up perfectly against the Audi. He was now side-by-side with the Audi heading into the backstretch, but only barely. This was the perfect time to use his NOS, _both of them._

Anakin activated the 2 NOS cans. He noticed the Audi also used its NOS, but it was only 1 can. Anakin was slightly out-dragging the Audi, but the Audi’s top speed was far better, allowing it to keep up despite having only 1 NOS can.

Anakin didn’t care about the cars behind anymore as they weren’t a threat. It was just him and the Audi. He laid his foot on the floor, not caring about trying to brake. He just had to win. The Audi was around a quarter cars’ length ahead until the Audi braked for the finish unlike Anakin. However, the Audi driver had forgotten that there was a gigantic runoff area for him to stop, which gifted Anakin the win.

Anakin pressed on the brakes to stop the car. After stopping, he turned on the handbrake and patted the steering wheel. He had a big smile on his face. He got out of the car, and Rex was the first one to interact with him.

“HAHAA, I KNEW YA HAD IT IN YA!”. Rex said the same quote a millionth time. Anakin chuckled.

“How many times do you have to say that?”

“How many times are you gonna get it right?”. Rex cheekily answered. Anakin laughed again.

“You’re a lucky bastard, you might’ve lost if that Audi guy wasn’t such a coward,” Rex pointed out.

“Yeah, good point, but whatever, we won,” Anakin changed the subject. Rex high-fived him.

Anakin glanced around the crowd out of curiosity, and he saw someone familiar: _Padmé._ She ran to Anakin, bursting through the crowd. Then, she leaped at him and passionately hugged him. Anakin sobbed a little.

“I’m sorry, Padmé. I’m so sorry,” Anakin whispered, shedding a few tears. Padmé looked at his face then wiped his tears with her finger.

“It’s alright, Ani. I’m glad I never lost faith in you.”

Padmé kissed Anakin on the lips. Anakin peeked around with one of his eyes and saw Rex with his arms crossed, laughing. Anakin rolled his eyes. Rex laughed even more. Anakin looked around and saw a few girls waiting around him. He was expecting considering he had won the race, and there were likely going to be some girls who wanted to go with him for the night.

“What are you going to do with them?”, Padmé asked as she pulled out.

“I’ll leave them be. After all, there’s only one true girl for me.” Anakin smiled at her. Padmé blushed.

“I’ll collect the prize,” Rex interrupted.

“I didn’t know you were into street races,” Anakin commented while wrapping his arm around Padmé.

“Well, Rex told me about it,” she noted. _Rex, you little-_

“Speaking of Rex, I almost forgot about the car,” he reminded himself. The pair went to Rex.

“Can I keep the car?”, he asked him.

“Eh, alright, but I get to keep your 25k,” he replied. Rex handed Anakin a pink slip regarding the Mustang.

“Well, angel, shall we?”. Anakin offered Padmé a ride on the Mustang, opening the passenger’s door. Padmé got in then fiercely pulled Anakin with him. The two made their way towards the backseat then made out with each other.

“Don’t you think people are gonna see us?”, Anakin commented. Padmé chuckled then gave him a good stare.

“Oh, come on, Anakin. Let them be jealous. Let them know that you are only _mine,”_ she replied in a commanding voice. Anakin smiled.

“And, you are only mine?”, he laughingly asked. She nodded.

“Of course, love,” she said as she continued to trail kisses down his neck.

Anakin peeked and saw many people outside looking at them. Some jealous, others laughing.


	8. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of time jumps here because this is only meant to show what Anakin and Padmé have gone through the following years.

**_12:00 PM on a Monday, a few months after the race_ **

“So, angel, I have some news for you,” Anakin excitedly said to Padmé who now sat with them during breaks. Padmé gave him a cute pout and curious look. The other 3 also watched on.

“Grievous is gonna get me into Clanka Facilities. I got the job I was looking for,” he announced. Rex, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka clapped. Padmé eventually did, too, after smiling at him for a short while.

“I have some news as well,” the attention then turned to Padmé.

“What is it?”

“Let’s just say I also got the job I was looking for,” she announced herself. Everyone clapped. Anakin hugged her quickly.

**_A few months after the two got their jobs, graduated already_ **

Anakin called Padmé.

_Anakin: Hey, angel._

_Padmé: Hey, Ani._

_Anakin: I’ve got a nice little surprise for you._

_Padmé: Hm?_

_Anakin: With a bit of help from me mum, I have enough money to lease an apartment for us near both of our workplaces._

_Padmé: Are you serious?_

_Anakin: Mhm._

_Padmé: I’d love to stay with you there._

_Anakin: I knew you would._

_Padmé: Hehe._

_…_

**_Around a year and a half after Anakin and Padmé moved into their apartment_ **

Padmé wandered around the apartment in boredom. Anakin followed her shortly.

“Hm?”, she asked as she realized Anakin was following her. Anakin knelt on a knee, and Padmé covered her mouth, laughed, and even blushed. Anakin pulled out a small box from his pocket then opened it, revealing a small ruby ring.

“Well, Padmé Amidala Naberrie, will you… marry me?”, he asked. Padmé happily nodded.

“Yes.”

Anakin got up and took the ring then neatly slid the ring onto her left ring finger. She still couldn’t hold the slight laughter in disbelief. Anakin himself smiled.

_…_

**_A few years after their engagement and marriage_ **

“Come on, Ani, get this blindfold off of me!”, Padmé said as Anakin kept her blindfolded in the car for a surprise.

“Be patient, angel, we’re almost there,” he assured her. Padmé grudgingly nodded.

Anakin stopped his car then got out of the seat. Then, he opened Padmé’s door then helped her out. He guided her in front of his surprise. Then, he took the blindfold off. Padmé gasped.

“Oh. My. God.” She covered her mouth in surprise. Anakin revealed to her a large house, complete with a backyard, garage, and a small swimming pool.

“It’s no mansion, but this isn’t your everyday household. It costs big bucks to get something like this,” he boasted. Padmé kissed Anakin on the lips.

“H-how?”, she said in disbelief after pulling out.

“Working at one of the biggest engineering companies tends to have its perks.” Anakin said with a smug smile.

“You didn’t need to-,” she still couldn’t believe it. Anakin shushed her, wanting to say something.

“You deserve it, angel,” he reassured her.

_…_

**_During their 4 th anniversary_ **

“Happy 4th anniversary, angel,” Anakin whispered as he kissed her on the cheek to wake her up. It was slightly early in the morning, but who bothered?

“Happy 4th anniversary,” she said with a small smile on her face while rubbing her eyes trying to get herself to wake up. Anakin gave her a curious look.

Anakin dismissed the face for a moment to get off the bed and grab something. It was a light brown teddy bear, the average size. She smiled, and he smiled back.

“Aw, thank you, Ani,” she said.

“No problem,” he said. Anakin went back to the weird look on her face.

“Are you hiding something?”, he cheekily asked.

Padmé opened the shelf on the bedside table. Then, she gave Anakin what he first thought was a thermometer. For a moment, he seemed concerned because she might be sick, but he looked closer and realized it was a pregnancy test. He looked at the reading, and it showed 2 lines, indicating pregnancy.

Anakin covered his mouth. It was a pleasant surprise.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he couldn’t hide his happiness and disbelief. Padmé laughed.

“I guess I’ve outdone you for a 4th time,” she chuckled. “I guess you have,” Anakin admitted, giving her a ‘competitive look.’

“You know, I love you,” he changed the topic. “Of course, I do,” she replied. Padmé got up and kissed him on the lips.

_…_

**_A few moments after Padmé gave birth_ **

Padmé was tired but still very much awake although she’ll probably sleep in a bit. She admired the two little babies, one boy and one girl. It was a sight she still couldn’t believe was true. Anakin couldn’t believe it either, but there they were in all their glory.

“The boy’s name?”, the attending doctor asked Padmé. Padmé refocused herself.

“Luke,” she replied. The doctor wrote the boy’s name down.

“And the girl?”, she followed up.

“Ask the father.” She pointed to Anakin, who was still focusing on the babies.

“Sir? The girl’s name?”, the doctor asked him. Anakin blinked multiple times for a moment to refocus himself.

“Oh, uh… Leia,” he made up at the top of his head then looked at Padmé.

“Good name,” she mouthed. Anakin smiled.

_…_

**_Around 2 and a half years after Padmé gave birth to Luke and Leia, at the Kenobi household_ **

“Hey, Obi-Wan,” Anakin greeted the man.

“Hey, Anakin,” Obi-Wan went in to hug him but decided otherwise considering he was carrying Leia, instead patting him on the shoulder.

“And, Padmé… welcome,” Obi-Wan greeted her with a smile. Padmé was carrying Luke.

“Oh, hi!”, Satine showed up behind Obi-Wan.

“Oh, uh, I almost forgot to introduce you two to my wife, Satine. I mean, surely, you’ve heard of her as it’s been a good few years, but this is your first time meeting her. Anakin, you’ve most definitely heard of her.” Anakin laughed. Padmé eventually did as well.

“What’s Korkie up to?”, Obi-Wan whispered to Satine.

“Sleeping,” she answered.

Padmé walked up to Obi-Wan, so Luke could _fiddle_ with him. Luke messed with Obi-Wan’s beard. Satine laughed. Anakin smiled.

“Why do I get the feeling these two are going to be the death of me?”, Obi-Wan voiced. The 3 laughed before Anakin and Padmé left Luke and Leia at Obi-Wan’s place as they had some work to do. Normally, they wouldn’t leave them at someone else’s place since they usually either asked Rex or Ahsoka to babysit or simply watch over the children themselves, but they wanted to try something new. They loved having Rex babysit because they loved to hear him voice his complaints about how hard it was to babysit, and they loved having Ahsoka babysit since she was the clear favorite of the kids. Making Rex’s life miserable by having him babysit almost became a hobby for them.

_The end._


End file.
